MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) is proposing a trimester system for students from kindergarten to Grade 12.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara explained that the proposal, which is being eyed for school year 2026-2027, is part of a “holistic approach” for quality education.

“Itinutulak natin ito upang magkaroon ng mas mahahabang, tuloy-tuloy na panahon ng pagkatuto, mas maayos na pacing ng mga aralin, at mas mababang administrative burden para sa ating mga guro,” he said in a statement on Friday, February 13.

(We are pushing this for longer, continuous learning time, better curriculum pacing, and less administrative burden for our teachers.)

Under the current system, the school year begins in June and ends in March, with a mid-school year break scheduled for the last week of October and a holiday break during the last two weeks of December. A school year has four quarters. 

With the proposed system, the school year will be divided into three academic terms:

• first trimester – June to September
• second trimester – September to December
• third trimester – January to March

The DepEd said the proposed system will meet the 201 school days for the next academic year.

For each term, there will be an instructional block and an enrichment block.

The instructional block will be 54 to 61 days, which will be “dedicated to quality teaching and learning time, with minimal disruption of non-academic activities.”

Meanwhile, among the activities that will be done under the enrichment block will be “remediation and enrichment, grade computation, preparation and checking of school forms, and wellness break.”

For the first term, there will be an opening block for activities related to the opening of the school year.

“Scheduled breaks between terms will also provide teachers with time for planning, assessment, and professional tasks, helping improve overall instructional delivery,” the DepEd said.

DepEd’s proposal comes after the Second Congressional Committee on Education (EDCOM 2) flagged “worrying declines in proficiency” across key stages or in grades 3, 6, 10, and 12.

Observances to be integrated into lessons

Moreover, part of the reform includes incorporating mandated school activities and celebrations into classroom instruction to avoid disruption of learning.

This could be in the form of integrating national and cultural celebrations into reading materials, writing exercises, science discussions, and project-based learning, or holding shorter in-class reflection activities or discussions instead of an entire day.

“DepEd data show that the current calendar structure has contributed to compressed instructional time, as schools must accommodate numerous mandated observances, reporting requirements, and administrative tasks,” the agency said.

EDCOM 2 earlier said that while activities and observances are valuable for a student’s learning, they take away time for core subjects.

It noted that about 150 legislated activities “crowd an already shortened school year.” – Rappler.com